Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too!

Do you know what the monkey mind is? Does your child? As I understand it, this is a concept that addresses our being all over the place, unable to focus on the moment or to live one’s best and most peaceful life. We all can use some assistance in learning to quiet ourselves and to be more present. This deck hopes to help children, and maybe their adults, to do this by sharing some of the “playful and powerful qualities of animals and elements in nature as inspiration to discover these qualities in ourselves.” In a note to adults, the author states that the exercises are meant to provide a “safe way to reflect on difficult topics and a form of…support.” The author engages children by offering them multiple ways to use the cheerily illustrated deck.

I recommend these cards as one tool for helping children to think, feel and be as comfortable as possible in their lives. Adults may well enjoy this deck too!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this title in exchange for an honest review.

 

A mystery, a light read and an excellent non-fiction title.

My review of the book on the far right:

I am reading this nonfiction title for an undergraduate class, Religion and Healing. This book offers a profound look at the culture, practices and beliefs of the Hmong people and how these clash with Western medicine when the Lee’s daughter, Lia, is found to have epilepsy (in Hmong culture, the title of the book is the Hmong word for this condition.) This book is enlightening and heartbreaking. In our current political climate, it offers a poignant reminder of the importance of learning about other’s belief systems without judging. Recommended for all readers but especially for those in the “helping” professions.

Some more mysteries.  I liked The Cutting Season.

Every morning I look forward to my cup of coffee.  I sip it as I take some time to read a novel and  find this to be an excellent way to start a day.

If you would like to have a coffee drink that is a bit fancier, this book contains 50 recipes for just that.  One caveat, a number of them seem to depend on having an espresso maker.  That said, there are some great looking drinks here including Cafe au Lait, Cold Brew, Scandinavian Coffee, Flat White, Cubano, a number of flavored lattes and frozen drinks like a mocha frappe or an affogato.  The book concludes with some coffee cocktail recipes.

In addition to the recipes this title has information on the different coffee roasts, types of grinders for beans, filters, coffee history, coffee makers  and more.

If coffee is you thing, you might want to give this title a look.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

#TheCoffeeRecipeBook #NetGalley

From the publisher:

I don’t know how it is that I never read this book. It feels like a classic. This edition is the 40th anniversary one of The Paper Bag Princess. This is a modern fairy tale for both our daughters and sons. Elizabeth, the princess of the title, is plucky, brave and clever. Her prince, Robert, does not appreciate her talents, even though the untidy Elizabeth rescues him from a dragon. What happens at the end? Read the book to find out.
This edition has an introduction by Chelsea Clinton and a short piece by Francesca Segal.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review. I give the book five stars.

The beginning of this novel asks that readers suspend disbelief. Why were these five characters mysteriously invited to attend a society whose mission was not known? The author implies that something higher than the fictional Gilda brought them together. After all, this is a book that is published by a Christian publisher.
So…the five are the heir to a cosmetic company, a widower grieving for his wife, a divorced man wanting to see his children, an executive assistant who would feels qualified to be a CEO, and her former husband, an academic who is contemplating a difficult career decision. The story of each of these characters, Coral, Ed, Chuck, Lexa and Jett is told in a way that keeps readers turning the pages. There are romance, secrets revealed and healed, and deep friendships formed over the course of the novel.
SPOILER: One of these characters makes a major life decision based on beling called to become an active Christian. I won’t tell you who but in the context of the story, this felt slightly forced to me. Otherwise, I found this novel to be an enjoyable, easy read .
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

This book includes many reflections and stories from the author on the subject of aging.  I very much like how she embraces this time of life and sees it as a time for growth, exploration and consolidation of a lifetime of experience.

The book is divided into four sections;  Grief, Reclamation, Vision and Laughter.  In the first section the author supports acknowledging the losses both large and small that come with the aging process.  In the next section, she encourages readers to reclaim things that one enjoyed at an earlier life stage; for example, maybe you would like to take up playing the piano or singing in a chorus again.  Vision is about using one’s acquired wisdom to fully participate and see life as it unfolds each day.  Laughter provides a chance to laugh which is good for us!

If you know someone, including yourself, who would enjoy or benefit from gaining perspective on this life stage, take a look at this title.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

The Robyn Carr title is part of the Sullivan’s Crossing Series; they are generally heartwarming stories.  I have not read Tangerine but it got good reviews.  Maeve Binchy is the well-known writer of Irish women’s fiction.  There is a new series on TV forthcoming based ont he books of James Herriott, the vet.

poisonedpenbooks.files.wordpress.com/2020/02/bn-feb-20.pdf

This brightly illustrated book contains three stories about Scaredy Monster for young readers.  Poor Scaredy; he does not scare others but rather is scared of things himself.  For example, in the first story Scaredy is very worried about losing a tooth; he is so worried that he tries to keep it in with peanut butter, marshmallows and more.  Luckily Scaredy’s mother helps him through and he finds that losing a tooth is not so bad.

In Part Two Scaredy Monster gets his first two wheeler and after a scary experience does not want to ride any more.  Once again, Mom helps him to face his fears as he learns to ride his bike

In Part Three, Scaredy Monster goes on his first sleepover.  It is fun until it is not.  Yet again, Scaredy learns to cope with the support of the adults around him.

This is a great book for kids.  It takes their fears seriously while showing that they can cope.  Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

From the publisher: